Search Athletics

Subscribe

Tools

2004 Gymnastics Preview

The Gustavus gymnastics team brings all but one key contributor back from last year’s squad that posted a record of 20-3 during the regular season. Head Coach Kris Glidden, who is entering her fourth season guiding the Gusties, will lead the most experienced squad she has had during her tenure. With 11 letterwinners, including two All-Americans, returning from last year’s team that placed fourth at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) national meet, this could be the season that Glidden coaches Gustavus to its first national title since 1994.
Headlining the group of returning athletes for Gustavus are five gymnasts who competed in the individual NCGA finals a year ago: Amanda Parker (JR, Ames, IA), Alyssa Cox (SO, Big Lake, MN), Molly McIntyre (SR, Minneapolis, MN), Therese Gay (JR, Sugar Grove, IL), and Mary Puder (SR, St. Paul, MN).

Parker, a six-time All-American, returns for her third year in the program. After winning the national all-around title in 2002, she placed second in the floor exercise, third in the vault, and sixth in the all-around at the national meet last season. Had it not been for a sub-par performance in the uneven bars, Parker would have likely repeated as the national all-around champion.

Cox claimed the national championship in the vault a year ago, becoming the sixth Gustie to win the national vault title. In addition to her success on the vault, Cox had the highest floor exercise average on the team (9.30).

McIntyre placed seventh in the uneven bars competition at last spring’s national meet. She had the team’s third highest bars average during the regular season (8.60).

Gay placed 12th at the national finals in the uneven bars. She
experienced success on the uneven bars and in the floor exercise in 2003 despite battling an injury the entire season.

Puder capped off a successful junior season by placing 11th in the vault at the national meet. She had the highest regular season vault average on the squad (8.977).

While having an experienced team with depth is always an advantage, a talented incoming class is usually necessary to seriously contend for the regional and national titles. Joining the solid core of returning athletes are 11 first-year students, nine of which earned all-state honors or higher in high school.

Gustavus will open the season on January 10 at UW-Whitewater. The squad’s home opener is February 13 against U W-Eau Claire. In order to qualify for the national meet, Gustavus will need to place in the top four at the NCGA West Regional in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on March 19. A successful performance at the regional meet will earn the Gusties a trip to the national championships hosted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts on April 2-3.